Kalagni, Kālāgni, Kala-agni: 15 definitions

Introduction
Image gallery
In Hinduism
In Jainism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Sanskrit
2. Kannada
See also

Introduction:

Kalagni means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

Images (photo gallery)

In Hinduism

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: Wisdom Library: Śilpa-śāstra

Kālāgni (कालाग्नि) is a Sanskrit name referring to one of the eight manifestations of Bhīṣaṇa and Saṃhāra, both forms of Bhairava. According to the Rudrayāmala, there are eight main forms of Bhairava who control the eight directions of this universe. Each form (e.g., Bhīṣaṇa and Saṃhāra) has a further eight sub-manifestations (e.g., Kālāgni), thus resulting in a total of 64 Bhairavas.

When depicting Kālāgni according to traditional iconographic rules (śilpaśāstra), one should depcit him (and other forms of Bhīṣaṇa) having a yellow color and should carry in his hands the kuṇḍa, the kheṭaka, the parigha (a kind of club) and bhiṇḍipāla. When depicting Kālāgni as a form of Saṃhāra, one should depict him having a color resembling lightning; he should carry in his hands the kuṇḍa, the kheṭaka, the parigha (a kind of club) and bhiṇḍipāla.

context information

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

Ayurveda (science of life)

Rasashastra (Alchemy and Herbo-Mineral preparations)

Source: Wisdom Library: Rasa-śāstra

Kālāgni (कालाग्नि) is the name of an Ayurvedic recipe defined in the fourth volume of the Rasajalanidhi (chapter 2, dealing with jvara: fever). These remedies are classified as Iatrochemistry and form part of the ancient Indian science known as Rasaśāstra (medical alchemy). However, as an ayurveda treatment, it should be taken twith caution and in accordance with rules laid down in the texts.

Accordingly, when using such recipes (e.g., kālāgni-rasa): “the minerals (uparasa), poisons (viṣa), and other drugs (except herbs), referred to as ingredients of medicines, are to be duly purified and incinerated, as the case may be, in accordance with the processes laid out in the texts.” (see introduction to Iatro chemical medicines)

context information

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

1) Kālāgni (कालाग्नि) is the name of a deity corresponding to a “Rudraksha with five faces” (Pañcavaktra), according to the Śivapurāṇa 1.25, while explaining the greatness of Rudrākṣa:—“[...] a Rudrākṣa with five faces (pañcavaktra) is Rudra Himself. Its name is Kālāgni. It is lordly. It bestows all sorts of salvation and achievement of all desired objects. A five-faced Rudrākṣa dispels all sorts of sins such as accrue from sexual intercourse with a forbidden woman and from eating forbidden food”.

2) Kālāgni (कालाग्नि) refers to the “fire of the god of death”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.39.—Accordingly, as Dadhīca said to Viṣṇu:—“[...] taking a fistful of Kuśa grass and remembering Śiva, Dadhīca of adamantine bones and self-control discharged it against all the Gods. O sage, thanks to the power of Śiva, the fistful Kuśa grass of the sage became the divine trident equal in potentiality to the fire of the god of death (i.e., kālāgni). That trident of Śaiva nature blazing around with the lustre exceeding the fire at the close of the Yugas wanted to burn the armed Gods”.

Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study

Kālāgni (कालाग्नि) refers to the burning fire appearing at the time of Naimittika (“dissolution at the end of the kalpa”), according to the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—When the beings are burnt by the fire of the Sun’s rays, it becomes one Fire united with the effulgence of Rudra. That Fire consumes the earth (pṛthivī), the sky (divaloka) and the nether region (pātāla). The flames of this Fire rises above hundred yojanas. By the effulgence of that kālāgni, Saṃvartakāgni burns also the Yakṣas, Rakṣas and Uragas. The universe at that time appears to be a red-hot iron sphere. Further the terrible cloud arises accompanied by lightning. The terrific cloud roars loudly and rains excessively and continuously. That kālāgni gets extinguished and everywhere there is only water and nothing else. [...]

context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

1) Kālāgni (कालाग्नि) refers to the “fire of time”, according to the second recension of the Yogakhaṇḍa of the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “Thus, Vyāsa, greatly pained, committed an astonishing suicide (kāla). Having kindled the Fire of Time [i.e., kālāgni] and having recollected the energy of Vaiṣṇavī, he was burnt by the fire of divine Yoga (and so) there was no Vyāsa and no Śaṃkara and, O Maheśvara, Nature was burnt to ashes by Māyā”.

2) Kālāgnirudra (कालाग्निरुद्र) [or Kālāgnirudra] refers to the “fire of time”, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra.—Accordingly, “[...] (3) Above that, having abandoned [i.e., tyaktvā] Kuṇḍalī, one should think of the (Wheel) Full of Gems (maṇipūraka) (in the navel). It is a mass of radiant energy, like the Fire of Time [i.e., [i.e., kālāgni-rudra]]. There, in the middle, one should place the excellent and auspicious Void of (all) four colours that manifests according to the nature (of each entity). [...] (Perfect) contemplation (samādhi) is with (these) sixteen aspects and is (attained) within the form of the sixfold deposition (ṣoḍhānyāsa). He who knows this is (a veritable) Lord of Yogis, the others (who do not) are (just) quoting from books. Once attained the plane that is Void and Non-void, the yogi is freed from bondage”.

context information

Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.

Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa (p)

Kālāgni (कालाग्नि) refers to the “fire at the time of dissolution”, and is mentioned in the meditation on Garuḍa in the Tejomaṇḍala, according to the second chapter of the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā (Toxicology).—The Kāśyapasaṃhitā describes the different forms of Garuḍa in the five bhūta-maṇḍalas on which the aspirant has to meditate upon to cure the snake-bite victim from the poison which could have killed him. In the Tejo-maṇḍala, Garuḍa is meditated upon as one with tremendous speed and with the effulgence of the fire at the time of dissolution (kālāgni), clad in yellow and donninga a crown of different gems, his hands adorned with the conch and the tarjanī-mudrā, adept in arresting poison

context information

Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: Hindupedia: The Hindu Encyclopedia

In the works on Śaivasiddhānta, kālāgni represents one of the regions of the earth-element.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Kālāgni (कालाग्नि) is the name of a Vidyādhara from Kiṣkindhanagara, according to the Jain Ramayana and chapter 7.1 [origin of the rākṣasavaṃśa and vānaravaṃśa] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.

Accordingly:—“[...] He (Indra) established four Dikpālas, seven armies and generals, three assemblies, the thunderbolt as his weapon, his elephant as Airāvaṇa, his courtesans as Rambhā, etc., his minister as Bṛhaspati, and the leader of his infantry with the same name as Naigameṣin. [...] Mākaradhvaji, sprung from the womb of Ādityakirti, lord of Jyotiṣpura, became Soma, the regent of the east. The son of Varuṇā and Megharatha, a Vidyādhara, lord of Meghapura, became Varuṇa, the regent of the west. The son of Sūra and Kanakāvali, lord of Kāñcanapura, was called Kubera, the regent of the north. The son of Kālāgni and Śrīprabhā, lord of Kiṣkindhanagara, became Yama, regent of the south.[...]”.

context information

Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Kālāgni (कालाग्नि).—

1) the destructive fire at the end of the world.

2) an epithet of Rudra. -3. a kind of bead (rudrākṣa).

Derivable forms: kālāgniḥ (कालाग्निः).

Kālāgni is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms kāla and agni (अग्नि). See also (synonyms): kālānala.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Kālāgni (कालाग्नि).—m.

(-gniḥ) The fire that is to destroy the world. E. kāla, and agni fire.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Kālāgni (कालाग्नि):—[from kāla] m. the fire that is to destroy the world, conflagration at the end of time

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Kālāgni (कालाग्नि):—[kālā+gni] (gniḥ) 2. m. Final conflagration, burning of the world.

[Sanskrit to German]

Kalagni in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Kālāgni (ಕಾಲಾಗ್ನಿ):—

1) [noun] the mythological fire that destroys the universe.

2) [noun] (fig.) a large, destructive fire.

--- OR ---

Kāḷāgni (ಕಾಳಾಗ್ನಿ):—[noun] the all-devastating fire that ends the existence of the universe.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 17 books and stories containing Kalagni, Kālāgni, Kala-agni, Kāla-agni, Kāḷāgni; (plurals include: Kalagnis, Kālāgnis, agnis, Kāḷāgnis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Treatment for fever (60): Kalagni-bhairava rasa < [Chapter II - Fever (jvara)]

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Verse 8.13.22 < [Chapter 13 - A Thousand Names of Lord Balarāma]

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Chapter 8 - The Glory of Someśvara (Soma-īśvara) < [Section 1 - Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya]

Chapter 18 - Glorification of Narmadā < [Section 3 - Revā-khaṇḍa]

Chapter 9 - The Garland of Skulls and Tattvas < [Section 1 - Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya]

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Chapter 28 - The glory of Bhasma < [Section 7.1 - Vāyavīya-saṃhitā (1)]

Chapter 22 - The greatness of Viśveśvara, the arrival of Rudra at Kāśī < [Section 4 - Koṭirudra-Saṃhitā]

Chapter 2 - The glory of lord Śiva < [Section 7.2 - Vāyavīya-saṃhitā (2)]

+ 1 more chapters / show preview